IJSRD - International Journal for Scientific Research & Development| Vol.

2, Issue 03, 2014 | ISSN (online): 2321-0613

A Literature Review on Automated Manual Transmission (AMT)

M. S. Kumbhar1 Proffessor Dr. D. R Panchagade2
1
P.G. Student (M.E Design) 2Head Of Department
1,2
Mechanical Engineering Department
1,2
D.Y.P. CEO, Akurdi, Pune

Abstract--- Automated Manual Transmission as the name various sensors like Gear position sensor , Clutch position
suggests is a manual transmission with clutch and gear sensor , brake position sensor , transmission output speed
actuation done with help of actuators, either and also Vehicle related signals like torque requirement ,
electromechanical or hydraulic. The whole AMT system has engine speed and throttle position from ECU ( Engine
a control strategy to decide the actuation of actuators. Over control unit). The TCU has a control strategy which on
the last two decades, significant research effort has been receiving the input signals, generates the output signals to
directed towards developing vehicle transmissions that clutch actuator and gear shifting actuator. [1]
reduce the energy consumption of an automobile. This effort
has been a direct consequence of the growing environmental
concern imposing the directives of reduced exhaust
emissions and increased vehicle efficiency on current
vehicle manufacturers. Consumers also expect the same
level of performance, comfort and ease of use as in standard
cars, to a competitive price. To construct a competitive
solution, it must both be comparable in terms of
performance, comfort and price of existing vehicles on the
market. Automated Manual Transmission (AMT) is the best
competitive solution to address the problem of performance,
comfort, cost, efficiency. The main aim of this paper is to
study the various research work done on AMT system in
terms of design and control strategy.
Keywords: - AMT, Automated Manual Transmission,
Transmission, actuators Fig. 1: AMT System

I. INTRODUCTION
As the power transmission unit, transmissions play an
important role in vehicle performance and fuel economy.
There are currently several types of transmissions and
associated technologies that offer different priorities in
vehicle. Manual transmission has overall efficiency of 96.2
percent which is highest in all types. Belt types CVT have
overall efficiency of 84.6 percent. Automatic Transmission
(AT) has efficiency of 86 percent whereas Automated
Manual Transmission (AMT) has efficiency par with
manual transmission [1]. It is common to use analytical
models for prediction and assessment convince in Fig.2 Control architecture of AMT
automotive industry. Day to day there has been need for
improvement in Design, Concept of transmissions to III. LITERATURE REVIEW
1. Reduce gear torque interruption. A. The contribution of Transmission to vehicle fuel
2. Reduce gear shift time and improve driving comfort. economy by D Simmer, [2] shows the importance of
3. Increase fuel efficiency. transmission towards fuel efficiency. This research
4. Improve the gear shift quality. highlights how transmission plays an important factor for
the fuel economy. Fuel economy which is the prime factor
II. WORKING PRINCIPLE OF AMT can be influenced by transmission system in four ways and
AMT is a clutch-less (without clutch pedal) manual not just transmission efficiency alone.
transmission system which uses electronic sensors,
1. Parasitic losses in transmission i.e. Oil churning,
processors and actuators (hydraulic or electro mechanical) to
seal and bearing drag.
do clutch actuation and gear shifts as per command of the
2. Power proportional losses at gear, chain or belt
driver. Fig. 1 shows that Amt system uses a conventional
mesh.
manual transmission, actuators and control unit to automate
3. The weight and rotational inertia of transmission
the whole process. Fig. 2 shows a control architecture
and driveline components.
system of AMT. The system consists of three sections of
4. The configuration and control of actual transmission
sensors, processors and Actuators. The processor, TCU
hardware.
(Transmission Control Unit) gets the input signals from

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The complete approach would minimize fuel usage
with acceptable emissions for wide range of operating
conditions encountered by the vehicle.
B. Zeroshift Automated Manual Transmission (AMT) by
R. P. G. Heath and A. J. Child, [3] shows that Zeroshift
technology allows a manual transmission to change gear in
zero seconds. This technology is patented new design for a
transmission. The Zeroshift Automated Manual
Transmission (AMT) is easy to manufacture and allows a
cost effective alternative to the traditional torque converter
based automatic transmission. Zeroshift offers potential fuel
economy improvements from driveline efficiency and the
best possible vehicle acceleration. Compared to an existing
AMT, Zeroshift offers an uninterrupted torque path from the
engine to vehicle which allows for a seamless gearshift. This
paper provides an introduction to the technology together
with test data from a demonstrator vehicle. Fig 3 shows the
Zeroshift concept.
Fig. 3 Zero shift technology
C. Electric Hydraulic Accelerator Control Device in AMT
by Yinong Zhaoaa and Jiabao Chena, [4] shows that in order
to regulate the fuel injection quantity for the non electronic-
controlled engine during the process of automatic shift,
independent accelerator auxiliary control device needs to be
designed .The accelerator control device should not only
meet servo requirements in normal driving but also regulate
the fuel injection quantity automatically in the process of
automatic shift. This paper mainly describes the design of
electric hydraulic accelerator control device and the
experiments show that the device can meet servo
requirements and regulate the fuel injection quantity
automatically. The paper puts forward a new accelerator
auxiliary control device for automatic shift control system
with non electronic controlled engine. The new device can
regulate injection quantity automatically during the process
of automatic shift, not reducing the quality of controlling the
engine. And it can solve the problems such as safety,
reliability, the complex nature of control method and so on
for common linear accelerator scheme driven by motor.
D. Modeling of an Automated Manual Transmission
system by Gianluca Lucente, Marcello Montanari and Carlo
Rossi, [5] shows that vehicles with Automated Manual
Transmissions (AMT) for gear shift control offer many
advantages in terms of reduction of fuel consumption and
improvement of driving comfort and shifting quality.
Complexity, nonlinearity and high-order dynamics of the
automated driveline, combined with strict requirements for
high performance gear shifts, demand the development of
driveline models, which include a detailed description of the
actuators. These models can be useful for different purposes:
1. During system development, to evaluate the achievable
performance and its dependency on system properties
A Literature Review on Automated Manual Transmission (AMT)
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2. As simulation tools for gear shift control algorithm
design.
In this paper, physically-based detailed nonlinear models of
the electro-hydraulic actuated gearbox and of the dry clutch
electro-hydraulic actuator of an automated manual
transmission are developed as shown in Fig. 4. In order to
analyze their behavior and their impact on the drive train
during gear shifts, actuator models are integrated with a
simplified transmission shafts dynamics.
Fig. 4: Driveline layout with model
E. Development of an Automated Manual Transmission
system based on Robust Design by Yoshinori Taguchi,
Yoshitaka Soga, Akira Mineno and Hideki Kuzuya, [6]
showed use of three actuators for automation of gear shifting
and clutch actuation process. Convention transmission
system with actuator was used for AMT. Two more
actuators were used for shift and select actuation. A system
control device was developed to improve control, stability
and robustness of system. The result showed a way forward
for cost effective solution for AMT. The automated clutch is
constituted by a standard dry clutch controlled by an electro-
hydraulic servo. The clutch actuator is constituted by disks
between the flywheel and the clutch plate, whose surfaces
are covered with high-friction materials. The electro
hydraulic clutch actuator, which is driven by a three-way
spool servo valve applies pressure to control the
displacement of the clutch piston, which pushes on the
release bearing. The transmitted torque can be thought as
stick slip friction, while the maximum transmissible torque
(related to static friction) is modulated by the normal force
applied to clutch disks. In a clutch actuator model focusing
on the hydraulic part and involving the release bearing
position as output variable has been developed. The model
is refined considering the relation between the force applied
to the release bearing and the transmitted clutch torque.
When no external force is applied, flywheel and clutch disks
are pressed together by Belville and pre-load springs and
hence engine torque can be transmitted. In order to release
the clutch, the hydraulic piston pushes the release bearing
The Belville spring, acting as a lever, reduces the normal
force applied to the clutch plates, thus separating friction
disks. The Belville spring acts both as a spring and a lever
with variable coupling ratio. Hence the steady state piston
force is related to the force applied to the clutch plate by a
nonlinear relation dependent on the clutch piston
displacement.
F. Analysis and simulation of a torque assist Automated
Manual Transmission by E. Galvagno, M. Velardocchia and
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A. Vigliani, [7] presents the kinematic and dynamic analysis
of a power-shift Automated Manual Transmission (AMT)
characterized by a wet clutch, called assist clutch (ACL),
replacing the fifth gear synchronizer. This torque assist
mechanism becomes a torque transfer path during gearshifts,
in order to overcome a typical dynamic problem of the AMT
that is the driving force interruption. The mean power
contributions during gearshifts are computed for different
engine and ACL interventions, thus allowing drawing
considerations useful for developing the control algorithms.
The simulation results prove the advantages in terms of
gearshift quality and ride comfort of the analyzed
transmission. From the analysis of the AMT ACL
transmission it is possible to state that the assist clutch
proves useful during up shifts, downshifts (Kick Down) and
motoring mode.
G. A Study of Shift Control Algorithm without clutch
operation for Automated Manual Transmission in the
Parallel Hybrid Electric Vehicle by Liao Chenglin, Zhang
Junzhi, Zhu Haitao, [8] shows a new shift control algorithm
without clutch operation for reducing the shift shock and
improving accelerating ability of a parallel hybrid vehicle
with an AMT. The engagement of clutch, which is the key
point of shift control in general AMT, is sophisticated and
very difficult. But in the parallel hybrid vehicle, shift control
without clutch operation is possible because both the engine
and motor can control the speed of input shaft o gearbox.
Consequently, it not only improves the shift quality of
vehicle, but also prolongs the life time of clutch. Simulation
results indicate that the shift amenity and accelerating ability
are improved by using the shift control algorithm without
clutch operation. In this paper, the gear shifting control is
discussed just only in the driving mode of hybrid. There are
three phases during a gear shift process. The first phase is
torque control phase of old gear. In order to minimize the
wear of the gearbox, the noise, and the shift shock, the most
critical part of the shift sequence is the torque control phase
of old gear. The second phase is speed synchronization
phase. After neutral gear is engaged, speed synchronization
phase is entered. It is important to minimize the total time
needed for speed synchronization phase, since the vehicle is
free-rolling with zero transmitted. Therefore, it is important
to control the speed difference between the input shaft and
the output shaft and the drive torque level near to zero as
soon as possible at the moment of synchronizer’s two sides
meshing with each other. The last phase is torque control
phase of new gear. Once the new gear is engaged, torque
control phase of new gear is entered. In this phase, the
hybrid torque level is transferred from torque-free state back
to the level that the driver demands.
H. An Automatic gear shifting strategy for Manual
Transmissions by B Mashadi, A Kazemkhani and R Baghaei
Lakeh, [9] shows that based on two different criteria,
namely the engine working conditions and the driver’s
intention, the governing parameters in decision making for
gear shifting of an automated manual transmission are
discussed. The gear shifting strategy was designed by taking
into consideration the effects of these parameters, with the
application of a fuzzy control method as shown in Fig. 5.
The controller structure is formed in two layers. In the first
layer, two fuzzy inference modules are used to determine
A Literature Review on Automated Manual Transmission (AMT)
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the necessary outputs. In the second layer a fuzzy inference
module makes the decision of shifting by up shift,
downshift, or maintain commands. The behavior of the
fuzzy controller is examined by making use of ADVISOR
software. It is shown that at different driving conditions the
controllers make correct decisions for gear shifting
accounting for the dynamic requirements of the vehicle. It is
also shown that the controller based on both the engine state
and the driver’s intention imitates unnecessary shifting that
are present when the intention is overlooked. A microchip is
designed in which a required speed in the form of a step
function is demanded for the vehicle on level or sloping
roads. Both strategies for the vehicle to reach the maximum
speed starting from rest allow the gear shift to be made
consecutively. Considerable differences are observed
between the two strategies in the deceleration phase. The
engine-state strategy is less sensitive to downshift, taking
even unnecessary upshift decisions. The state intention
strategy, however, interprets the driver’s intention correctly
for decreasing speed and utilizes engine brake torque to
reduce the vehicle speed in a shorter time.
Fig. 5: Fuzzy logic for gear shifting
I. Gear Shifting by Engine Control by Magnus Pettersson
and Lars Nielsen, [10] shows that by using engine control
during the gear shift, a manual transmission can be
automated without using the clutch during the shift event. It
is then important to minimize the total time needed for a
gear shift, but when doing so driveline resonances may be
excited. This in turn may lead to problems with disengaging
the old gear and synchronizing speeds for engaging the new
gear. Internal driveline torque control is a novel idea for
handling resonances and increasing shift quality. By
estimating the transmitted torque and controlling it to zero
by engine control, the gear can systematically be disengaged
with minimized driver disturbances and faster speed
synchronization. Field trials show fast shifts to neutral gear,
despite disturbances and driveline oscillations at the start of
the gear shift. The control scheme is simple and robust
against variations among different gears. Furthermore,
damping of driveline resonances can be obtained with an
observer in combination with a proportional integral
derivative feedback structure, despite the higher order
driveline system. This approach is motivated by the
following two main advantages. When the drive-shaft
torsion is zero, neutral gear can be engaged fast, with only
small oscillations in the transmission speed and no
oscillations in the wheel speed. By controlling the drive-
shaft torsion, it is sufficient to use an observer in
combination with a PID controller structure, with simple
tuning rules, for obtaining active damping of driveline
resonances. The result is active damping of driveline
resonances which gives a way of optimizing the time needed
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for the torque control phase. Since there will be no
oscillations in the transmission speed, the new gear can be
engaged with a minimum of time spent in the speed
synchronization phase, and thus leading to a minimized time
for a gear shift. Major user advantages are less wear, better
comfort and that more drivers can handle difficult driving
situations.
J. Concept evaluation of a novel gear selector for
automated manual transmissions by Zaimin Zhong,
GuolingKong n, ZhuopingYu, XinboChen, XuepingChen,
XiangyanXin, [11] proposes a novel gear selector for AMT,
the concept of which enables the automation of shift action
remotely realized by DC motors through shifting cable that
originally used on manual transmission vehicle. Evidently,
the advantage of this concept is that the automation of
manual transmission could be easily realized by replacing
the shift lever with two motors while the original shifting
cable and gearbox could be reserved. Then the cost and
development period can be shorten remarkably. The concept
of the novel gear selector is introduced, then the detailed
mathematical model of shifting process is studied and
system design and scheme selection of this concept are
performed. Optimal control algorithm based on LQR for
actuator position feedback control is introduced. The
concept and control algorithm are verified on a sample car,
and considering the influence of the long path of
transmission mechanism, the validation of the stability of
this concept is performed through calibration test on
mountain pass and the obtained results show the concept of
the novel gear selector for AMT is feasible technically with
strong robust on the shifting stability.
IV. CONCLUSION
The various research works shows that the AMT system can
be with hydraulic actuators or electro-mechanical based
actuators. Actuators are basically used for clutch and gear
shift actuations. However in some systems the actuators are
also used to manage accelerator input to control fuel
injections. A optimum control strategy is the key to
successful working of Amt system and this has been
successfully demonstrated in various research works. All
research work has concluded that with respect to manual
transmission, the AMT allows to improve driving comfort,
increase in fuel efficiency and gear shift quality. For market
sectors such as large-series and ecological cars, AMT has
the advantage of lower weight and higher efficiency with
respect to other typologies of automatic transmissions.
Moreover, since AMT is directly derived from manual
transmission with the integration of actuators into existing
devices, development and production costs are generally
lower than other automatic transmissions. After studying
various actuators, electromechanical actuator are seems to
be best solution. As electromechanical actuators are
compact, light in weight, and can be controlled easily with
the help of actuator. Thereby solving the packaging issues
like space availability, weight added to the vehicle load
carrying members.
V. FUTURE SCOPE
One of the limitations of the AMT could be driving comfort
reduction, caused by lack of traction during gear shift
actuation. However, this drawback is not due to intrinsic
limitations of the AMT, but it can be solved by proper gear
A Literature Review on Automated Manual Transmission (AMT)
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shift management. An overall strategy aiming to the
improvement of the gear shift quality should take into
account the reduction of shifting time, the minimization of
mean vehicle deceleration due to traction loss and the
minimization of vehicle and driveline oscillations due to
variation of transmitted torque. Existing manual
transmission is to be converted into automated manual
transmission. In this case the gear shifting is done by gear
stick and wire cables arrangement, where the stick acts an
interface between the driver and actuating medium, and
cables act as actuating medium. Here, the gear stick is to be
replaced by some other interface for the driver to interact
with the actuator, this interface could be push buttons either
on dash board or on steering wheel, or it could be a joy
stick. And the wire cable has to be replaced with actuators.
Future work should basically focus on low cost system with
optimized control strategy.
REFERENCES
[1] Makarand S Kumbhar and Dr. Dhananjay Panchagade,
‘A Review and Efficiency evaluation of Automated
Manual Transmission (AMT)’, Proceedings of BLAZE-
2014 International Conference, Buldana, India. ISBN:
978-93-81188-43-9, March 13-14, 2014, pp. 7-12.
[2] D Simmer, ‘The contribution of Transmission to
vehicle fuel economy’, AUTOTECH, volume 34,
pp.135-145, 1995.
[3] R. P. G. Heath and A. J. Child, ‘Zeroshift Automated
Manual Transmission (AMT)’, SAE Paper No. 2007-
26-061, (2007), pp.693-696, 2007.
[4] Yinong Zhaoaa, Jiabao Chena, ‘Electric Hydraulic
Accelerator Control Device in AMT’, Procedia
Engineering, volume 23 (2007), pp.125 – 130.
[5] Lucente, Marcello Montanari, Carlo Rossi, G. Lucente,
‘Modeling of an automated manual Transmission
system’, Mechatronics, volume 17 (2007), pp.73–91.
[6] Yoshinori Taguchi, Yoshitaka Soga, Akira Mineno,
‘Development of an Automated manual Transmission
system Based on Robust Design’, SAE Paper No. 2003-
01- 0592, SAE World Congress, Detroit, Michigan,
March 3-6, 2003.
[7] Galvagno, M. Velardocchia, A. Vigliani, ‘Analysis and
simulation of a torque assist Automated manual
transmission’, Mechanical Systems and Signal
Processing, volume 25, (2003), pp. 1877–1886.
[8] Liao Chenglin, Zhang Junzhi, Zhu Haitao, ‘A Study of
Shift Control Algorithm without Clutch Operation for
Automated Manual Transmission in the Parallel Hybrid
Electric Vehicle’, Society of Automotive Engineers of
China, Fiesta, World Automotive congress, Barcelona,
February 13, 2004.
[9] B Mashadi, A Kazemkhani, R Baghaei Lakeh, ‘An
automatic gear-shifting strategy for manual
transmissions’, IMechE, Systems and Control
Engineering, volume 221 (2007), pp.757-758.Magnus
Pettersson and Lars Nielsen, ‘Gear Shifting by Engine
Control’, IEEE transactions on control systems
technology, volume 8 (2000), pp. 495-507.
[10] Zaimin Zhong, GuolingKong, ZhuopingYu,
XinboChen, XueingChen, XiangyanXin, ‘Concept
evaluation of a novel gear selector for automated
manual transmissions’, Mechanical Systems and Signal
Processing, volume 31, (2012), pp. 316–331.
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